ERIC ED431574: Northwest Education, 1998-1999.

218 Pages·1999·9.3 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
RC 022 017
ED 431 574
Sherman, Lee, Ed.; Kneidek, Tony, Ed.
AUTHOR
Northwest Education, Volume 4.
TITLE
Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Portland, OR.
INSTITUTION
Department of Education, Washington, DC.
SPONS AGENCY
1999-00-00
PUB DATE
217p.; Contains photographs and a few colored pages that may
NOTE
not reproduce adequately.
RJ96006501
CONTRACT
Web site: http://www.nwrel.org/nwedu
AVAILABLE FROM
Collected Works
Serials (022)
PUB TYPE
Northwest Education; v4 n1-4 Fall-Sum 1998-1999
JOURNAL CIT
MF01/PC09 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Art Education; Discipline; *Educational Practices;
DESCRIPTORS
Elementary Secondary Education; Emergent Literacy; Fine
Arts; Music Education; Preschool Education; *Reading
Instruction; School Activities; *School Community
Relationship; *School Security; Student Behavior; Teaching
Methods
*United States (Northwest)
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
Volume 4 of "Northwest Education" contains four issues. Each
issue has a theme and typically consists of an opening review article on
current trends and research related to the theme, followed by articles on
exemplary schools or programs in the Northwest, promising practices,
outstanding teachers, or suggestions for program implementation or staff
"Succeeding at Reading: Literacy in
development. Theme issue titles are:
(1)
"Community Building: Imagining New Models";
the Early Years";
(3)
(2)
"Arts
"Learning in Peace: Schools Look Toward a Safer Future"; and (4)
Education: Basic to Learning." Issues also include book reviews; availability
of teacher resources; guidelines for teachers, parents, and communities;
profiles of resource organizations and Web sites; letters to the editor; and
practitioner commentary.
(SV)
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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced as
recenied from the person or organization
r-1
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Points of view or opinions stated in this docu-
ment do not necessarily represent official
OERI position or policy
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VOLUME 4 NUMBER 1
FALL 1998
THIS ISSUE
Succeeding at Reading:
Literacy in the Early Years
1 el
On the bend%
12
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Dalhe
20
Bo
wilt du &art
26
11A, End MACAU&
32
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38
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46
48
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COVER PHOTO: SAM GERE AND ZACK SUMMERS READ TOGETHER AT CLACKAMAS
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN MILWAUKIE, OREGON. PHOTO BY JUDY BLANKENSHIP.
U
E
EU
&5
Tbe creaky old schoolhouse
where I spent my elementary
years had a heart that pumped
life into the drafty corridors:
the library. It was there, at
Seattle's Lake Forest Park
School, that I checked out
instead of paying attention to
library, I began to see, was
my first chapter book. Scan-
the lesson at hand. I remem-
a ramp to everything in the
ning the shelves one day when
ber lying on my bedroom
world and beyond, every-
I was in second grade, my
floor, propped on my elbows
thing that could be dreamed
eyes fell on the bright-yellow
for hours, turning page after
and imagined, everything
spine of a book called Kid
page of a frayed old copy of
that could be known, every-
Sister. "Hey," I thought as I
Little Womenthe same copy
thing that could be hoped.
pulled the book from its slot,
my mother had read as a girl.
Books became balm and
"I have a kid sister." Besides
Making eager readers of
refuge. Magic chariot and
feeling really brave and smart
decoder ring. Periscope
children is the first step toward
for choosing a fat book with
making adults who read with
and time machine.
no pictures, I felt the magic
skill and with joy, who read
The days when my paper-
of finding a book that spoke
for information and for plea-
back orders from Scholastic
directly to methe wonder
sure, who have access to all
arrived were better than
of realizing that an author
the wealth that we as a species
Christmas. I remember com-
had written about something
store in the written word.
ing home to a locked house
important to my own life.
Researchers are calling for
one afternoon and losing
Not long after that I found
an end to the "reading wars"
myself in the crisp new pages
a huge volume on astronomy.
that divide educators and com-
of Lad: a Dog as I waited for
The librarian smiled as I
munities into bitter camps. No
Mom on the back porch. I
lugged the big book to the
single skill defines a reader,
remember hiding Island of
checkout counter in my skin-
they say. No lone strategy
the Blue Dolphins under my
ny arms. My dad, the Eagle
works in isolation. By laying
covers and reading to the glow
Scout, had taken me outside
down divisive ideologies, we
of a flashlight long after my
one night and pointed toward
can work together to ensure
parents thought I was asleep.
the starry sky, tracing the
that young children become
I remember being gently
constellations of lights that
strong and successful life-
rebuked by a teacher for
formed Orion, the Big Dip-
long readers.
devouring my most beloved
per, and Pleiades. I wanted
Lee Sherman
childhood novel, The Hun-
to know more about the
dred and One Dalmations
heavens.
by Dodie Smith (1956),
The humble little school
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NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL:
"Immerse kids in books
and teach them skills, too"
ZINENA%
4 Ws d
teaAer
cards,
bolds
flash
Up
rapid-fire. each
Edte cen atax,
c.ard
k
combination
VOWCI
l he
VOWelS.
know
children
af.le
atft
loudly
aders
the
Se6lorld-gl
"Cox,
cue
.4
Unison
this
replayed
back-to-basics
at
daily
straight
lined
school
up
Phoenik: kids
chai tor
responses
instruction
that
giving
reflects the
reading
belief
unconnected
real
readers
and
politicians
that
of
parents
'
VOUU
Mationships
momorim
sound-symbol
net,d
th
kan
kkff
throuoh
combinati
epetitive
and
and
and
"phonics-first
worksheets.
drillin
strenvh
gatherino
"phonies-only
as
ECM
slide
reading districts
many stagnate.
St!..(Dre,
Clifornia,
recentiv
such
as
states,
Mid
OM MGM
act
lawmakers
th
getting
by
Washington,
n to
phonics
instruction.
mandating
ku Mk§ gat cOn
educators
emotions
Cif
fillitt
hoy
teach
best
than
vigorously
th
k
BD&
healing
them
children
0:1D awl Itla
youing
ciak an-
\\Jeai
armistiee.
plea
kon 8111Eft
?
"Cs
and
phonics
whol -languag
between
GOI'OUS
,
seeking
numbers educators
growino
factions
-,,,,N.
supports
Research
Tound.
strongly
Ss
c
.%vs.
",,
', *fr..
SUCCEEDING AT READING
.N.1
At,14.1h
t
idea that phonics and whole language can coexist
Beginning readers need
Because the ability to obtain
explicit instruction and prac-
meaning from print depends
when blended skillfully by talented teachers.
tice that lead to an apprecia-
so strongly on the develop-
Calling for an end to the "reading wars,4 an impor-
tion that spoken words are
ment of word recognition
tant new report from the National Research Council
made up of smaller units
accuracy and reading fluen-
kriktM,0
of sounds; familiarity with
iIinj
cy, both of the latter should
says that children need both. Preventing Reading
spelling-sound correspon-
be regularly assessed in the
Dif
Difficulties in Young Children concludes that immer-
dences; and common spelling
classroom, permitting timely
sion in language and literature (whole language) and
conventions and their use in
and effective instructional
identifying printed words;
response when difficulty
instruction in sound-letter relationships (phonics) are
"sight" recognition of frequent
or delay is apparent.
both critical in the early years. A 17-member, multi-
words; and independent read-
Beginning in the earliest
disciplinary committee, headed by Catherine Snow of
ing, including reading aloud.
grades, instruction should
KEY RESOURCES
Fluency should be promoted
promote comprehension by
Harvard University, spent two years sifting through the
through practice with a wide
actively building linguistic
findings of several decades of research to make its case.
Preventing Reading De-
variety of well-written and
and conceptual knowledge in
m/ties in Young Children
Comprehension, the council concludes, is the rea-
engaging texts at the child's
a rich variety of domains, as
(1998) presents the conclu-
well as through direct instruc-
own comfortable reading level.
son for reading. But unlocking the meaning encoded
sions of an extensive research
tion about comprehension
Children who have started to
in the mysterious lines, dots, and squiggles that form
review by the National Research
read independently, typically
strategies such as summariz-
Council. The council recom-
our written language requires mastery of a number
ing the main idea, predicting
second-graders and above,
mends that first- through
should be encouraged to sound
events and outcomes of upcom-
of complex skills. Phonics instruction is critical, the
third-grade curricula include
out and confirm the identities
ing text, drawing inferences,
council says, to creating readers who can grasp and
these components:
of visually unfamiliar words
and monitoring for coherence
grapple with texts of increasing complexity.
and misunderstandings. This
they encounter in the course
of reading meaningful texts,
instruction can take place while
"Reading should be defined as getting meaning
recognizing words primarily
adults read to students or when
from print, using knowledge about the written alpha-
through attention to their
students read themselves.
bet and about the sound structure of oral language
letter-sound relationships.
Although context and pictures
for the purposes of achieving understanding," the
can be used as a tool to moni-
council writes. "Early reading instruction should
tor word recognition, children
include direct teaching of information about sound-
should not be taught to use
them to substitute for informa-
symbol relationships to children who do not know
tion provided by the letters in
them, and it should maintain a focus on the commu-
the word.
nicative purposes and personal value of reading."
This finding is not news to many practitioners,
who have been quietly blending whole language and
sound-symbol skills in their classrooms for years.
"I don't think you can separate them," says Susan
Marchese of Coupeville Elementary School in Wash-
ington. "They go together. I mean, how could they
not? I get frustrated when I hear about teachers who
are just teaching phonics, or they're just doing whole
language. I don't know how you could take one away
from the other."
NW Education / Fall 1998
"Children have to have direct instruction in phon-
Throughout the early grades,
Throughout the early grades,
Once children learn some
schools should promote inde-
time, materials, and resources
letters, they should be encour-
ics," says Molly Chun of Applegate Elementary School
pendent reading outside school
should be provided with two
aged to write them, use them
in Portland. "But I try to embed that in a meaningful
goals: (a) to support daily
by such means as daily at-home
to begin writing words or parts
context."
reading assignments and
independent reading of texts
of words, and use words to begin
expectations, summer reading
selected to be of particular
writing sentences. Instruction
"I was trained to teach reading using the whole-
lists, encouraging parent
interest for the individual stu-
should be designed with the
language method, which minimizes phonics," says
involvement, and by working
dent, and beneath the individ-
understanding that the use
Wendy Fenner of Oregon's Clackamas Elementary
with community groups,
ual student's frustration level,
of invented spelling is not in
including public librarians,
in order to consolidate the
conflict with teaching correct
School. "But after getting into a classroom, I could
who share this goal.
student's capacity for inde-
spelling. Beginning writing
see that some kids just don't have enough tools to
pendent reading and (b) to
with invented spelling can be
learn to read without phonics. So now I combine
The report is available
support daily assisted or sup-
helpful for developing under-
online at http://www.nap.edu.
ported reading and rereading
standing of the identity and
whole language and phonics, as do most teachers."
To order a copy, contact the
of texts that are slightly more
segmentation of speech sounds
If there is so much apparent agreement among
National Academy Press,
difficult in wording or in lin-
and sound-spelling relation-
researchers and practitioners about how to teach
2101 Constitution Avenue,
guistic, rhetorical, or concep-
ships. Conventionally correct
NW, Lockbox 285, Wash-
tual structure in order to pro-
spelling should be developed
kids to read, why is there so much vitriol in discus-
ington, DC 20055, 1-800-
mote advances in the student's
through focused instruction
sions of best practices? Partly, it's politics. The politi-
624-6242.
capabilities.
and practice. Primary gra&
cal leanings of phonics proponentsmany of whom
children should be expected
A national Reading Summit
to spell previously studied
are conservative, back-to-basics parents and policy-
being convened by the US.
words and spelling patterns
makersoften clash with more progressive educa-
Department of Education
correctly in their final writing
tional trends and practices. The chasm between the
this fall will focus on the
products. Writing should take
council's report. For infor-
place regularly and frequently
two camps reflects a deep philosophical divide, not
mation on the summit, to
to encourage children to
only about instructional strategies, but about the role
be held September 18-19
become more comfortable
schools play in children's intellectual development. At
in Washington, D.C., visit
and familiar with it.
the Education Department
bottom the question is, Should schools teach children
Web site, 14://www.ed.gov/
to think, reason, analyze, and evaluate, or should
inits.html#1.
schools stick to the three Rs? Teachers and parents
who favor instruction that stresses meaning over mechan-
icswho want children to look behind the words for
enrichment and understandingcringe at the tactics
of some phonics practitioners. Drills such as the one
described above suggest a rigidity and regimentation
that can stifle curiosity and rob reading of joy.
But phonics doesn't have to mean memorizing
rules and spouting rote responses.
"Most of the time the wordphonics is used to
mean 'knowledge about sound-symbol relationships
in language," Heidi Mills, Timothy O'Keefe, and Diane
Stephens say in Looking Closely: Exploring the Role
of Phonics in One Whole-Language Classroom,
SUCCEEDING AT READING
M. VT®
published by the National Council of Teachers of
education
foundation
'p
Lim@
Pas tr.02
areasstudent
learning
teaching
gaidOgoK)
prepa-
English in 1992. "When phonics is defmed this way,
Mow
practitioners,
advancement
educational
Ihnlding
E011
phonics and whole language are quite compatible."
Knowledge
EDI go*
3m0aw
performance
educ-ational
Enna
educationare
In theory, whole language was never intended
hood
Read ng
supported grantmak
through
Albertson
Educational
1109 ao cr,La MEiftuto
@gage Lb
to exclude phonics, most researchers agree. But in
Community
Idaho
Foundation
TzogilOggeig, 0-.6 fig
practice, many educators interpreted the whole-lan-
Fce Nog
guage philosophy to mean that students would learn aformation
A be ,son
Founda-
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to read naturally, without direct instruction, if they
ribqoa COMMOZ
phone.
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were simply immersed in a literacy-rich environment.
KEY RESOURCES
424-1016,
SAM NTHA
MOORES
Building a Knowledge
IDAHO READING INITIATIVE
Base in Reading (1997),
The council urges teachers to keep their class-
a research synthesis by Jane
OM a
fig
literacy
proving reading
Idaho
@wl
rooms drenched in print, stuffed with quality chil-
Braunger of the Northwest
fig goal a Wig
million
students
reading
Laboratory and Jan Lewis of
dren's literature, enlivened with discussions about
A Mfg
&Vow Cthg ma
Albertson
Foundation
Pacific Lutheran University,
books, astir with journal writing, book publishing,
preliteracy
Designed
011kqw wcom
ID WOO
offers the following "core
improve
performance
reading
ftwo OD
9 eal
clAgail
shared reading, and other "authentic" (real) reading
understandings" about learn-
gat
40galgt,
ROE
reading problems
address
ing to read, along with sug-
and writing activities. Into this rich whole-language
fig initiative
btiN
components
through
operate
nfflO
gested classroom applications:
t
wu Tog Kg
Mg Ce (yEff&
pot, the council advises, teachers should thoughtfully
Okta; NEM
awarded
1. Reading is a construc-
fig
Children--A
awarded Idaho
Read
Wale
stir explicit instruction in sound-symbol relationships.
tion of meaning from writ-
Library
Idaho
CfitOig Television
!060g
z100
exciJ
ten text. It is an active, cog-
"It is time for educators, parents, and everyone
gat Mow
improve
program
development
fOR ®
nitive, and affective process.
else concerned with children's education to make
children
preschool
2.
Background knowledge
kot
ProgramsTC) jdl
Reading
kindergartners
sure that children have all the experiences that
and prior experience are crit-
computerized reading
tigal7Co
program
ical to the reading process.
research has shown to support reading develop-
incorporating
software
W900
books
N111
[312
3. Social interaction is
ment," Snow said when the council's report was
installed
kindergartens.
Idaho
essential in learning to read.
Assessment
Reading
Diagnosis
improve
released in March.
4. Reading and writing
Rig &V
kindergarten
mcl=
fourth-grade
through
develop together.
teachers,
teaching
reading
0:0
el
mOCIO
Reading involves
5.
o teach kids phonics is to give them a code
offered
mentor/trainer
ODN MoTI2@ NM
gcffea;)
65
complex thinking.
Gm4g ptf
district
offered
support
d(10
g@TO)
the code that unlocks the vast universe of
6. Environments rich in
dlo Rem
teachers
ft MOH oacalgo
completed
literacy experiences,
print. Without that code, children are effec-
Supplements
supplemental
Reading Program
A
resources, and models facil-
tively shut out of libraries, bookstores, Web sites,
program
library
combines
computers
books
itate reading development.
motivate
students
increase
Cstwg q)gwQ
magazine stands, newspaper kiosks, and the count-
7. Engagement in the read-
gogz
reading
available
elementary
Idaho
mO00 Lig
ing task is key in successful-
less other repositories of written information, enter-
Eal Wee
school
Tocft
ly learning to read.
g MK)
tainment, and enlightenment.
Foundation
proactive
long-term
8.
Children's understand-
'Ow
Executive
Director
Sharron
Jarvis.
dom99'
Phonics means showing students how spoken
ings of print are not the same
provide
Idaho
schools proactive
Owlge M
as adults' understandings.
9
sounds link up with written symbols. In English,
effective
approaches
educational challenges
EAN
9. Children develop phone-
which is an alphabetic language, those symbols are
opportunities
mic awareness and knowl-
unded
grocery
Albert-
magnate
966
Xcg
g117g
letters. But before children can learn phonics
edge of phonics through a
lilil aocl
private
founda-
variety of literacy opportu-
before they can beginning mapping letters to sounds
fosters
improvement
educ-ational
Idaho
Oticw
oi))
nities, models, and demon-
they must first become consciously aware of those
promoting
research
experimentation
innovation
strations.
9
NW Education / Fall 1998
Novick. Nursery rhymesthe adventures and antics
sounds: thep in pig, the t in turtle, the a in apple.
10. Children learn success-
ful reading strategies in the
They must understand that spoken language is made
of Jack and Jill, Little Miss Muffet, Humpty-Dumpty,
context of real reading.
Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eaterare a natural place to
up of a series of discernable "phonemes"about
11. Children learn best when
start. Children don't need to know what a "tuffet"
45 distinct sounds in English.
teachers employ a variety
of strategies to model and
is in order to hear the rhyme with "Muffet." (These
Dr. Rebecca Novick, who specializes in early-
demonstrate reading knowl-
rhymes often resonate in our minds for a lifetime,
childhood education at the Northwest Regional Edu-
edge, strategy, and skills.
cational Laboratory, calls this awareness an "ear
suggesting the power they can have on the young
12. Children need the oppor-
_ tunity to read, read, read.
skill"one that is vital to beginning readers. With-
intellect.)
13. Monitoring the devel-
Tapping into young children's natural sensitivity
out this basic sound awareness, Novick says, learn-
opment of reading processes
ers probably won't benefit from phonics instruction,
to rhyme, first-grade teacher Molly Chun makes
is vital to student success.
poetry a fixture in her classroom, where walls and
which traditionally has taken phonemic awareness
The paper, published joint-
blackboards are draped in verses written on chart
for granted.
ly by the Northwest Labo-
paper. Chun chooses playful poems full of word
"To the extent that children lack such phonemic
ratory the National Council
of Teachers of English, and
awareness," the National Research Council says, play, like this one titled "The Squirrel":
the International Reading
"they are unable usefully to internalize their phonics
Whisky, frisky,
Association, is available
Nippily hop,
for $12.95 from the North-
lessons."
west Regional Educational
up he goes
Although most children pick up this critical ear
Laboratory, 101 S.W Main
To the treetop!
skill easily, it eludes many others, research shows.
Street, Suite 500, Portland,
Without it, students typically have trouble sounding
Oregon 97204, (503) 275-
Whirly, twirly,
9498 or 1-800-547-6339,
Round and round,
out and blending new words, retaining words from
ext. 498. A collection of
Down he scampers
one encounter to the next, and learning to spell, the
classroom vignettes fea-
To the ground.
council reports. "Dozens of... studies have confirmed
turing seven Northwest
teachers whose literacy
Furly, curly,
that there is a close relationship between phonemic
practices reflect these 13
What a tail,
awareness and reading ability, not just in the early
core understandings will
grades but throughout the school years," the council Tall as a feather,
be published this fall.
Broad as a sail!
states. "Research repeatedly demonstrates that, when
Coauthor Braunger con-
Where's his supper?
steps are taken to ensure an adequate awareness of
ducts workshops for edu-
In the shell,
cators, school boards, and
phonemes, the reading and spelling growth of the
communi0; members on
Snappily, crackity,
group as a whole is accelerated and the incidence
classroom reading instruc-
Out it fell.
of reading failure is diminished."
tion that reflects current
understandings of lan-
Parents, preschool providers, kindergarten
After Chun leads the children through a choral
guage and literacy devel-
teachers (and primary teachers for kids whose early
reading of the poem, she says, "Tell us two words
opment. For more infor-
that rhyme"an exercise in phonemic awareness.
exposure to literacy is limited) are critical to plant-
mation, contact Braunger
al [phone].
ing the seeds of phonemic awareness in the minds She talks about the definition of the word broad and
asks the children what the squirrel ate for dinner
of young children. When children hear their favorite
(suggested but not stated in the poem)an exercise
books over and over, when they hear stories and
songs filled with rhymes and alliteration, their ears in gleaning meaning from text. Then she asks indi-
vidual children to come up to the poem and circle
become attuned to the sounds words make, says
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